


Crystalline

by crisantemu



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Angst, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Living Together, M/M, Promises, Spoilers up to episode 93
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-17 13:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18099152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crisantemu/pseuds/crisantemu
Summary: Shoichi cherishes his memories alongside Yusaku like precious crystals. Shoichi’s POV.





	Crystalline

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! So I have a lot of wips to finish but right after episode 93 I was hit with an immense wave of FEELS. So I opened docs and-- this. Happened.  
> So yeah, I'm sorry for possible mistakes since I actually didn’t proof read;;
> 
> Hope you enjoy it as I did haha... :')

Yusaku’s hands, wrapped in bandages that cover his wounds and holding the adoption papers, are stiff on his lap.  
  
He’s silent throughout the whole trip, the only sound coming from the radio in the van. Shoichi recognizes the song as an old hit his mother used to ear all day, something nostalgic and even melancholic as those were the days Jin still smiled.

The melody sweeps through Shoichi’s ear. Shoichi shivers. It’s actually painful, because his chest tightens, and his legs stiffen.

His first instinct is to turn off the radio, but he doesn’t do it, because he sees the way Yusaku’s lips move according to the lyrics, sees the way his breath leaves his mouth in white puffs and freezes on the glass where he has his cheek pressed. It stops him. It makes him freeze. He thinks about asking him if his hands still hurt, if he thinks the wounds are healing.  
  
Shoichi’s hand finds its way over Yusaku’s own. The boy jumps out a bit, but immediately calms down and gives him a short smile.

Shoichi smiles in return, swallowing the _regret,_ the _fear_ when he sees those green eyes _shine_ the way his brother’s _used to_ and never will again. Instead he keeps smiling, squeezes Yusaku’s hands harder, hearing the adoption papers crumble between them and turns his eyes back to the road.

The van rocks as it goes through a bumpy road. It makes Shoichi dizzier than he already is.

And it's a short minute later, when the music suddenly _stops_ that Yusaku let’s the papers drop and brings his hand up, cupped between his own, presses his dry lips against it and starts crying.

He’s pleading. He’s telling Shoichi how much he regrets, how much he wants to turn back time, because this isn’t how everything was supposed to go.  
  
Shoichi almost wants to cry with him, but he stops himself.   
  
Instead, he turns his wrist, his thumb tracing the path under his eye, wiping off the wetness accumulating on his long lashes.

Yusaku slaps his hand away and looks out the window again.

They are travelling up Stardust Road right now and soon they’ll arrive at their new home in Den City. The sea that expands outside the windows is adorned with stars.

A new song starts playing, more upbeat modern. The stars light up their path and Shoichi tells Yusaku a story.

 

 

* * *

  


Playmaker reaches up to catch a sea of data. The crystalline bits slip through his cupped hands and fall to the ground where they shatter like glass.

Unnamed watches the crystals dissolve into the black material of Playmaker’s gloves before he reaches up to catch more.

“This is an abandoned area,” Unnamed speaks up, catching a small crystal into his fist. “yet there's so many data in here. Perfect place for a rough A.I to hide, huh?”

“Indeed. However it's a little _too convenient_ , don’t you think?”

Unnamed opens his palm, but there's no crystal in it. “You think it's a trap to catch it?”

“Most likely.” Playmaker says. “There were a large number of Knights of Hanoi surrounding this place after all.”

Unnamed hums.

“Well, the A.I certainly won't now. After all the mess we made.”

“Oh, it _will_ come.” Playmaker gives him half a smile, shattering the small crystals into even smaller ones between his fingers. “We left it quitte the _feast_ after all.”

 

* * *

  


Their apartment is small.

It’s clear it was meant for a single person only. Yet, it was enough room for the both of them. They lay on the ground, staring into each other’s eyes, Shoichi’s thumb casually brushing the back of Yusaku’s hand.

“Where’s Ai?” he groggily asks, sleep is starting to overtake him but he promised Yusaku he would be up until he fell asleep.

“Sleeping.” It's the short answer and Shoichi snorts. Yusaku is tired too, he just wants to stay up a little longer.

“As should you.”

“‘m not tired…”

Another snort. “Liar.”

“I can’t sleep.” Yusaku says, and his green eyes do that _thing_ again. They flicker for a short second before it stops, it reminds Shoichi of a spark. “I don’t want to sleep.”

Shoichi’s smile flaters a bit. “Nightmares?”

“Always.” is Yusaku’s curt reply. Shoichi’s fingers close around the boy’s wrist, it’s thin, _fragile_ even around his large palm.

“Hey… it's okay. You don’t have to run away. I’m still here.”

Yusaku hums, eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. And that tiny spark Shoichi saw before is _ablaze_ , green eyes once again shining with some kind of _emotion_.

Shoichi has seen that flame before, always at Yusaku’s most vulnerable. All those times he had cried into Shoichi’s shoulder or those other instances anger had clouded his senses. In all of those moments, Shoichi was there to put out the flame.

But this time is different.

“Kusanagi-san…”

Yusaku’s eyes don’t shine with anger nor sadness.

“Thank you.”

Shoichi pulls Yusaku closer, wrapping his arms around him as the boy perfectly settles on his chest.

“Good night, Kusanagi-san.”

This is different, Shoichi thinks. His hand returns to squeezing Yusaku’s hand as the other removes a few strands of pink out of Yusaku’s piercing green eyes.

“Good night, Yusaku.”

They shine with pure _affection_ until the moment Yusaku closes them.

 

* * *

  


The Knights of Hanoi were finally defeated, however there is now a bigger threat lurking in the shadows.

Shoichi sets the photo of him and Jin down on the desk, foundly looking at his younger brother. A gentle smile, an innocence he’ll never get back.

He turns to side where Yusaku and Takeru are nestled in the couch and he smiles. Takeru is spooning Yusaku in such a protective way that Shoichi should be jealous, but considering the current circumstances, he’s more than happy to see how Yusaku slowly but _surely_ has been opening up to others and making friends.

Their new enemy is a cruel one; while Hanoi simply _broke_ , Lightning _rebuilds_ and _uses_ it as a weapon.

“Jin…” he whispers, stroking the photo.

“Kusanagi?”

A tiny voice comes out of the duel disk. It startles Shoichi for a second but as two pairs of tiny yellow eyes innocently blink at him, he smiles.

“Hey.”

“You should rest.” Flame says. “Tomorrow will be a big day.”

“I know.” He groans, running his hand down his face. Maybe he should really get some rest… “I’ll go in a minute. I was just-- _thinking_.”

“About Yusaku?” comes Ai’s curious tone.

Shoichi opens his mouth, then closes it shut. He turns back to where the boys are sleeping, both look so peaceful like this. As if the tragedy from 10 years ago never happened.

The light from the monitor flickers and the fatigue is starting to make Shoichi drunk with exhaustion.

“Hey, you two. If something ever happens to me, please promise me you will look after them.”

Shoichi can't even _imagine_ what this must’ve sound to the Ignises, so serious and out of nowhere. Flame doesn’t hesitate in shouting “of course!” while Ai just stays silent.

As expected, during all the time the dark Ignis has spent with him and Yusaku, he has picked up all the details of their… _partnership_.

Either way, Shoichi is pleased with both answers.

 

* * *

  


Dying is such an odd feeling.

Playmaker reaches forward to catch the pieces of data. _His_ data. The crystalline bits slip through his cupped hands and fall to the ground where they shatter like glass.

Kusanagi watches the crystals fall out of Playmaker’s eyes, joining the shattered pieces on the ground.

“Kusanagi-san!!!”

It's been so long since he saw Yusaku cry, since he saw those gorgeous eyes of his sparkle with sorrow.

“Kusanagi!” Ai shouts at his dissolving form, arms raised up and _ah, you still wish to save me._

There’s no pain, just the ghostly feeling travelling up his arms, his legs, his chest--oh it's especially prominent in his chest. Playmaker’s hand is splayed on it, the other cupping the back of his head, his mouth is moving but no sound comes out of it.

He feels like he just woke up, even when what only lies ahead of him is an eternity of sleep.

He sees his brother, small happy Jin running in the gardens of their old house. Shoichi chases after hand, reaches his hand forward and--

\-- _light_. Blinding light.

He blinks several times, trying to grow used to it.

But there is no light.

Just the tears on his eyes. Just the crappy stereo music his mother loved. Just Yusaku, sprawled beneath him with teary eyes and pink cheeks, _“I-- I love you… Kus-- Shoichi…”_

Shoichi extends his arm and cups Yusaku’s cheek.

“I… I love... you… t--”

And Playmaker _cries_ . Crystalline tears fall into his face but he doesn’t _feel_ them. Doesn't even feel Playmaker’s arms wrapped around him.

He’s hugging him. Just like Shoichi used to during all those nights. He wishes he could hug him back, or tell him how much he cherished all those moments they spent together, walking down their one-way bloody path of revenge.

His memories are being fragment along with his body. And as Ai gathers all the small bits of light, the Dark Ignis also receives Shoichi’s last wish.

_‘Please take care of him.’_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank God this is Yugioh and nobody really dies


End file.
